Demographics of the Northwest Territories

The Northwest Territories is a territory of Canada. It has an area of 1,171,918 square kilometres and a population of 41,786 as of the 2016 Canadian census.

Population history

Census yearPopulation5-year % change10-year % changeRank among provinces and territoriesNotes on changes impacting area and attendant population, and count provinces and territories1871 48,000 n/a n/a 51881 56,446 n/a 17.6 71891 98,967 n/a 75.3 71901 184,430 n/a 86.4 61911 6,507 n/a -96.5 111921 8,143 n/a 25.1 101931 9,316 n/a 14.4 101941 12,028 n/a 29.1 101951 16,004 n/a 33.1 101956 19,313 20.7 n/a 111961 22,998 19.1 43.7 111966 28,738 25.0 48.8 111971 34,807 21.1 51.3 111976 42,609 22.4 48.3 111981 45,740 7.3 31.4 111986 52,235 14.2 22.6 111991 57,649 10.3 26.0 111996 64,402 11.7 23.2 112001 37,360 -42.0 -35.2 112006 41,464 11.0 -35.6 112011 41,462 0.0 10.9 112016 41,786 0.1 0.1 112021 41,070 -1.7 -0.9 11

Source: Statistics Canada,Population urban and rural, by province and territory (Northwest Territories) . Statistics Canada, 2005.Canada's population . Statistics Canada. Last accessed September 28, 2006. with Social Science Federation of Canada for 1871–1901

Population geography Ten largest population centres +Ten largest municipalities by populationMunicipality2011200620011996Yellowknife19,23418,70016,54117,275Hay River3,6063,6483,5103,611Inuvik3,4633,4842,8943,296Fort Smith2,0932,3642,1852,441Behchokǫ̀1,9261,8941,5521,662Fort Simpson1,2381,2161,1631,257Tuktoyaktuk854870930943Fort McPherson792776761878Fort Providence734727753748Norman Wells727761666798

Ethnic Origins

Visible minorities and Indigenous peoples

+Visible minority & Indigenous population in Northwest Territories (1986–2021)GroupPopulation2021 census2016 census2011 census2006 census2001 census1996 census1991 census1986 census Indigenous group First Nations 12,315 13,180 13,345 12,640 10,615 11,065 11,100 8,420 Inuk (Inuit) 4,155 4,080 4,335 4,160 3,910 24,505 21,355 18,115 Métis 2,890 3,385 3,250 3,580 3,580 3,745 4,315 2,965 Multiple Indigenous responses 405 155 45 105 180 190 995 Indigenous responses, 275 55 180 145 445 Total Indigenous population 20,035 20,860 21,160 20,635 18,730 39,510 35,465 30,550 Non-Indigenous / non-visible minority group British Isles 11,430 12,815 12,530 13,200 11,540 16,505 17,995 16,735 French 4,090 4,510 4,095 4,405 3,925 5,445 5,560 5,040 Western European 4,010 4,480 4,185 4,495 3,850 5,140 5,480 4,325 Eastern European 2,230 2,865 2,600 2,840 2,435 3,195 3,080 2,320 Northern European 1,680 1,720 1,615 1,865 1,420 2,040 1,775 1,280 Southern European 1,105 1,215 1,135 1,145 870 1,070 940 900 European, & 770 255 515 175 115 205 155 110 Total non-Indigenous / non-visible minority population 15,425 16,320 16,915 18,155 16,830 22,945 20,495 20,380 Visible minority group Filipino 1,665 1,300 900 690 465 430 250 200 Black 1,060 760 555 375 170 225 275 210 South Asian 775 615 185 210 190 245 215 100 Chinese 335 305 380 315 255 330 355 260 Southeast Asian 305 255 225 355 190 200 110 195 Arab 230 105 110 90 85 Multiple visible minorities 170 90 30 40 35 30 40 10 Latin American 125 135 105 85 55 45 35 30 Japanese 105 145 45 15 40 40 60 50 Korean 75 105 45 15 20 15 20 20 Visible minority, 45 95 75 30 20 15 15 10 West Asian 35 50 65 40 20 Arab/West Asian 110 100 30 Total visible minority population 4,920 3,955 2,725 2,265 1,545 1,670 1,470 1,095 Total responses 40,380 41,135 40,800 41,055 37,105 64,125 57,430 52,025 Total population 41,070 41,786 41,462 41,464 37,360 64,402 57,649 52,235

Languages French was made an official language in 1877 by the appointed government, after lengthy and bitter debate resulting from a speech from the throne in 1888 by Lt. Governor Joseph Royal. The members voted on more than one occasion to nullify and make English the only language used in the assembly. After some conflict with Ottawa and a decisive vote on January 19, 1892, the issue was put to rest as an English-only territory.

In the early 1980s, the government of Northwest Territories was again under pressure by the federal government to reintroduce French as an official language. Some native members walked out of the assembly, protesting that they would not be permitted to speak their own language. The executive council appointed a special committee of MLAs to study the matter. They decided that if French was to be an official language, then so must the other languages in the territories.

The Northwest Territories's Official Languages Act recognizes the following eleven official languages, which is more than any other political division in Canada:Northwest Territories Official Languages Act, 1988 (as amended 1988, 1991-1992, 2003)

Chipewyan Cree English French Gwich’in Inuinnaqtun Inuktitut Inuvialuktun North Slavey South Slavey Tłįchǫ

NWT residents have a right to use any of the above languages in a territorial court and in debates and proceedings of the legislature. However, laws are legally binding only in their French and English versions, and the government only publishes laws and other documents in the territory's other official languages when the legislature asks it to. Furthermore, access to services in any language is limited to institutions and circumstances where there is significant demand for that language or where it is reasonable to expect it given the nature of the services requested. In reality, this means that English language services are universally available and there is no guarantee that other languages, including French, will be used by any particular government service except for the courts.

The 2006 Canadian census showed a population of 41,464. Of the 40,680 singular responses to the census question concerning 'mother tongue' the most commonly reported languages (official languages in bold) were: Mother tongueSpeakersShare1.English31,54577.54%2.Athapaskan languages4,71011.58%Dogrib1,9504.79%South Slavey1,2853.16%North Slavey8352.05%Chipewyan3900.96%Gwich'in1900.47%Dene500.12%3.French9752.40%4.Inuktitut6951.71%5.Malayo-Polynesian languages5301.30%Tagalog5051.24%6.Vietnamese3050.75%7.Chinese2600.64%Cantonese1200.29%8.Algonquian languages2500.61%Cree1900.47%Ojibway350.09%9.German1900.47%10=Arabic1050.26%10=Creole1050.26%12.Dutch950.23%13.Spanish900.22%14.Niger-Congo languages800.20%Bantu languages550.14%15.Yugoslavian languages600.15%16=Inuinnaqtun550.14%16=Italian550.14% There were also about 40 single-language responses for Ukrainian; 35 for the Scandinavian languages, Slovak and Urdu; and 30 for Hungarian, the Iranian languages and Polish. In addition, there were also 320 responses of both English and a 'non-official language'; 15 of both French and a 'non-official language; 45 of both English and French, and about 400 people who either did not respond to the question, or reported multiple non-official languages, or else gave some other unenumerated response. The Northwest Territories' official languages are shown in bold. Figures shown are for the number of single language responses and the percentage of total single-language responses.)Detailed Mother Tongue (186), Knowledge of Official Languages (5), Age Groups (17A) and Sex (3) (2006 Census)

Religion Religious groups in Northwest Territories (1981−2021)Religious group2021 Canadian census2011 Canadian census2001 Canadian census1991 Canadian census1981 Canadian census Christianity 22,275 27,050 29,645 50,755 42,185 Irreligion 16,070 12,450 6,600 6,020 2,960 Islam 730 275 175 55 30 Indigenous spirituality 330 500 235 55 45 Buddhism 250 170 155 75 50 Hinduism 200 70 70 70 20 Sikhism 110 20 45 65 10 Judaism 50 40 30 60 70 Other 370 220 135 280 170 Total responses 40,380 40,800 37,105 57,430 45,540 Total population 41,070 41,462 37,360 57,649 45,741

Migration Immigration +Northwest Territories immigrationYearImmigrant percentageImmigrant populationTotal population188145356,446189118,71298,967190114720,12919111166,50719212078,14319315349,316194181812,02819511,04216,00419611,96322,99819712,24534,805

The 2021 census reported that immigrants (individuals born outside Canada) comprise 4,145 persons or 10.3 percent of the total population of the Northwest Territories. +Immigrants in Northwest Territories by country of birthCountry of birth2021 census2016 census2011 census2006 census2001 census1996 census1991 census1986 census1981 census1971 census1961 census1951 census1941 censusPhilippines1,17595563055535532017012095United Kingdom275320280340460690715780820740537308222India26518070305575852540301432United States175220225235215320305290385270300248168Vietnam165175952451401509515040Germany & Austria1251351201301552202153052702403063530China & Taiwan1101201701006075657070551643Eritrea & Ethiopia90504015100000South Africa904035405045557515821Sudan & South Sudan858080101010000Zimbabwe80701451010101555Bangladesh809501000000Pakistan75701540101010505Nigeria & Ghana75652013510201000Australia & New Zealand753520505050454050602348Somalia652510201025000Jamaica & Trinidad and Tobago60854035454555552020715France & Belgium60453555454555658075765962Kenya & Tanzania & Uganda6035402020401005Syria & Lebanon5010203035300053Algeria & Tunisia50101501010000Hong Kong453520605075653545South Korea45751010151010200Armenia4520700100Morocco4025001015000Italy354025453555701301101259354Netherlands353525656510095801107536148Japan35702010101010505411Sierra Leone3010200010El Salvador & Guatemala & Nicaragua253515153030000Namibia25250000Malaysia & Singapore2520151020302515Mexico2520151010101005Ireland25201525254540452550954327Hungary251020152030451545353442Romania25102010101000105444Czech Republic & Slovakia2050405545505040253522152Iran2035152010151555Poland20202515355555456545577519Russia & Ukraine20154520252525103035493619Bulgaria2010101510151000Scandinavia1520254545657585100100153150176Colombia151510201010100Former Yugoslavia1040405570705550657538193Sri Lanka1015101010201550Brazil101510010101000Guyana1010102010015305Grenada1010101000Venezuela10100000Portugal10000101510253010Spain1000101001010550Cameroon & DR Congo100001010000Total immigrants4,1453,6852,8802,8102,3803,0752,7952,8352,7852,2451,9631,042818Total responses40,37541,13540,80041,06037,10064,12057,43052,02045,54034,80522,99816,00412,028Total population41,07041,78641,46241,46437,36064,40257,64952,23845,74134,80722,99816,00412,028

Recent immigration The 2021 Canadian census counted a total of 810 people who immigrated to the Northwest Territories between 2016 and 2021. Recent immigrants to Northwest Territories by country of birth (2016 to 2021)Country of birthPopulation% recent immigrantsPhilippines275India95Sudan35Syria35South Africa25France25China20Zimbabwe20Bangladesh20Pakistan20Jamaica20Somalia20Eritrea20Ethiopia20Netherlands15United Kingdom15Argentina10Portugal10Nigeria10Uganda10Egypt10Namibia10Vietnam10Total recent immigrants810

Internal migration

A total of 12,100 people moved to the Northwest Territories from other parts of Canada between 1996 and 2006 while 15,955 people moved in the opposite direction. These movements resulted in a net influx of 825 from Newfoundland and Labrador, 295 from Nunavut, 235 from Quebec and 195 from Nova Scotia; and a net outmigration of 3,955 to Alberta, 705 to British Columbia, 260 to Manitoba, 245 to Ontario and 230 to the Yukon. (All inter-provincial movements and official minority movements of more than 100 persons are given.)Province or Territory of Residence 5 Years Ago (14), Mother Tongue (8), Age Groups (16) and Sex (3) (2006 Census)

See also

Demographics of Canada Population of Canada by province and territory

Notes

References